Counseling and Therapy for Life Transitions

Therapy for Those Going Through a Life Change

Human beings are built for routine and familiarity. Sometimes it doesn’t feel that way – many of us sleep at odd hours or love trying new restaurants, or going to visit new countries – but, even in those that love new things, we have connections to things in our life that help us feel at ease.

When faced with life transitions – moments of significant change that put us on a completely different journey – it is common and natural to feel some anxiety, stress, confusion, grief, and a host of other emotions that are sometimes difficult to cope with.

At Long Island Psychology, we offer counseling services for those going through life transitions and feel like they would benefit from professional support. If you feel as though you or someone you care about could use help, please call us at (516) 732-0273 or fill out our online contact form.

What Are “Life Transitions?”

Life transitions are those moments in life when someone experiences a significant change. These can be immensely personal events, and there is no wrong time to feel like someone is going through a life transition, but there are some common examples of these types of changes taking place. For example:

• Going Off To College
• Making a Major Career Change
• Moving to a New Place
• Retiring
• Losing a Loved One
• Divorce
• Marriage
• Becoming an Empty Nest-er
• Experiencing a Health Crisis

Life transitions are not necessarily sad events, but they do represent some type of major change that often puts someone in a place that feels new, with a new set of challenges, roles, and expectations.

Why Are Life Transitions Challenging?

Psychological studies frequently show that major life changes trigger stress, often significant stress. These changes may cause a variety of emotions for an equally wide variety of reasons, such as:

• Change in a person’s self-identity
• Fear of the unknown
• Cascade of issues that relate back to the change itself (such as financial stress)

The psychological effects of these can also vary. Some people experience anxiety. Others may experience depression. Others may find themselves grieving, hesitant to make decisions, or struggling with their self-esteem. How these life transitions may manifest can change depending on the person, and part of therapy for life transitions is trying to work through all these different emotions and provide solutions to help navigate the new change(s).

Psychotherapy for Life Transitions

The role of our psychologists is to help you work through the different emotions that come with going through these transitions and support you throughout the process as you move onto this next stage.

We first learn more about the change and how you’re feeling, and then we identify a plan that we can use to address each emotion – not only those that you’re currently feeling, but those that may arise in the future as you continue into this “new” part of your life.

Dr. Marc Shulman and Dr. Atara Wertentheil can use techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), positive psychology, and more and guide you throughout each step of your journey. We aim to assist when new changes arise that relate back to that transition and to help you work through your fears, goals, or whatever else may be holding you back.

We have two offices, one in Garden City and one in Rockville Centre, NY, and we have TeleHealth available that allows people to access our services remotely from anywhere throughout the entirety of New York state. If you would like to learn more about our life transition services or to inquire about our psychotherapy for any of your struggles, please give us a call today.